One of the biggest things on many leaders’ minds is their legacy. The thought of what they will leave behind when they retire, or step back can be all consuming. You’ve spent years or even decades building your business and your followers, what happens when you step back?

You’re thinking of who you can pass the torch to, how to get them ready, and if they will be able to continue growing what you’ve built.

Let’s break down some of the key elements to a leader’s legacy.

Focus On Impact

The impact you have on people is what they will remember. If you want to build a legacy, focus on making an impact on people’s lives. Your character, your teachings, your mentoring, your leading, and your inspiration, is what will have the biggest impact on your followers.

So, work out what sort of impact you want to be remembered for and focus on that.

You Have To Invest

Building a legacy takes investment. If you want to hand over the torch one day, then you need to invest now.

Investing your time is the first step. Finding the person to mentor, mentoring them, and creating a plan all takes time. You need to invest your time.

Invest in setting clear timelines. Handing over the reigns takes planning to ensure a smooth transition. Take the time to workout a clear timeline.

Lastly, invest in a clear end goal. You need to have a goal that you are working towards with you handing over the torch. So, name it and invest in the time to work towards it.

Accept Changes After You’re Gone

Things will change when you’re gone, and unless you want to stick around forever, you need to accept and embrace the changes. Change can be good, and new leadership can bring about new changes that can help the business grow.

Everyone is different, as will the person you hand the torch to differ from you. One of the hardest parts of the process will be letting go and trusting that they have the ability to look after and grow what you built. Even if that means changing it a little.